Today's endoscopic and arthroscopic surgical instruments encompass a multitude of different designs. While all may be designed to serve the same function, for example, each one may be shaped differently to provide the surgeon better access to perform the procedure. For example, a pair of forceps may include a tube that extends from a pair of handles. A blade is disposed at an end to the tube for performing the surgery. The tube, near the blade in one pair of forceps is bent upward to provide the surgeon with the required access in the patient to make a first cut. However, if the surgeon needs to perform a second cut, on the same patient, but in a different position, the surgeon must get a different pair of forceps where the tube is bent to a different orientation.
Based on the above, it is easy to relate to today's realities of the operating room where a large inventory of specific instruments must be kept in an inventory at a high cost. Managing and maintaining this inventory is costly and complex. Lack of flexibility among the instruments are a direct added cost to each surgery, while maintaining the different variety of instruments necessitates trained personnel and sterilization facilities and capabilities.